Promise
by Fail2Ninja
Summary: While it may not have been perfect, life seemed so perfect back then. Before the blight, before our family was torn apart by the life we would eventually lead so far from Ferelden's shores. We will always remember the promises we've made.


Writers Note: I might not have the background 100% correct but I was inspired to write this after first playing the game. For that reason Hawke is a female by the name of Marian and has been training as a rouge. Dragon Age 2 is not owned by me and is the complete property of Bioware. I just thought I could add some creative elaboration on the background of the Hawke family. Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Promise

"Ow! Carver, get your foot off my hand!"

"Then get your bloody stick off my back!"

Marian Hawke struggled to breathe as her twin brother and sister squirmed on top of her. It was hard enough trying to breath without them getting into argument. No matter which way she looked all she saw was darkness. This meant one of two things, one their infiltration had gone undetected or her siblings were killing her faster than she had predicted. Gasping for air, she tired to form a sentence resembling (Get off or I'll feed you to giant spiders! Only to be drowned out.

"Carver give it back!"

"Not till you apologize!"

"For what? This was your stupid idea."

"Oh no! Don't go pointing fingers at me. You're the one who said…" Hawke wanted to roll her eyes on how these two could still argue while on top of her but that would have to wait until she refilled her lungs with air.

"Get….off…me!" Marian managed to say. Her siblings immediately snapped to attention and struggled to untangle themselves.

"Sorry sis. If this little witch hadn't spontaneously decided to join us we'd both be a lot better off," Carver sneered.

"You…sodding little. You are not going to leave me behind. I can take care of myself just like you can! Just because I'm not as strong as you doesn't mean I'm completely helpless."

"It does when your going into enemy territory. If the Templars catch you in here with that thing you'll be sent to the Circle Tower faster than you can say, "Look at me! I'm a mage!"" Carver's cryptic accusation earned him a death glare from Bethany as she gripped her makeshift staff. She puffed her face and crossed her arms, determined to come up with a comeback. Marian finally managed to stand up and took the chance to intervene.

"Would you two keep it down! Even if the Templars didn't hear us come in, they will you don't shut it." As her eyes adjusted to the darkness of the Chantry's store room, Marian could see that their entrance through the open window had made quite a mess of the town's emergency rations of dried meats and vegetables. If they took care of business and left without incident the nuns would probably blame it on the rats. **If** the three children were lucky, that is.

"Alright, Bethany are you sure only the gold candle holders are on the alter?" Marian sneaked toward the door, putting her ear against it.

"Positive. That merchant in the town square should definitely give us a sovereign or two for them."

"Alright then, genius mage. How do you suppose we get them when the Revered Mother is probably out there doing her prayers or whatever? Couldn't you cast a spell on her to make her give them to us?"

"That's blood magic Carver! I'd sooner be sent to the Circle then make a deal with a demon just to get some stupid candle holders."

"Well if you weren't going to be useful, then you should have just stayed at home. Mary and I could have done this fine on our own."

"Spare me, at the rate you were getting through the window, the Nuns would have caught you both anyway."

"What did I just say? Now you two will keep your voices down or so help me, I'll will gag you both." Marian hissed, hushing the two. She had done it before and she would do it again. Listening through the door, she didn't hear anyone coming but they were running out of time. "Remember why we're here. Arguing isn't going to put that gold in our hands any faster." Both Carver and Bethany looked down at their feet. Regardless if they liked her or not, she was not going to allow their bickering to get them caught. Slowly Marian put her hand on the door handle and opened it a crack. Peering through she could see the alter the evening light shimmering from the windows. There didn't seem to be any Templars on guard at the moment and the nuns were retireing to their rooms. A few of the younger nuns seemed to linger, chatting away but it wouldn't last for long. Marian closed the door and crawled back to her brother and sister, who were huddled in the corner.

"So? How's it look out there?" Carver asked, eagerly patting Marian on her shoulder.

"Ok, for now. They're wrapping up their evening prayers and should be in their rooms any minute now. Once there gone, one of us will need to sneak out their get the candle sticks before anyone else shows up. Sneak back out the window and we're home free."

"I'll do it. I've been itching for a chance to show up those sodding Templars."

"Oh please. You sneak as quietly as a Blight. We're trying to avoid being found out, remember?" Bethany snarked poking him with her staff.

"No Carver, I'll do it. You stay with Bethany and guard the window." Marian began to make her way back to the door until she felt a hand grab her arm. Carver was looking at her, anger in his eyes.

"Why do you always do that Mary? I'm the man of the family now! Its my job to show those stupid Chantry ninnies not to mess with our family." Marian returned his glare and put her free harm on his hand, forcing it away.

"Because its my job to keep you two out of trouble. Besides, I'm trusting you to keep Beth safe. Think you could do that?" Carver's look softened as he looked back to Bethany. Looking back to Marian he nodded and leaned on the stone wall. Marian put her hand on the door handle and opened if a crack. All of the sisters had gone from her view. There was only one chance at this. "If I get caught, get back out through the window and head home as fast as you can. Don't worry, we'll be two sovereigns richer before you know it. Promise. " She smiled as she crawled out the door.

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Marian kept low to the ground as she made her way across the chantry floor. The large amount of open space around the alter would make it easier to be spotted. Keeping low, Marian looked around. There didn't seem to be any templars around which was very unusual. However, unusual or no, this was an opportunity that was not going to be wasted. Crawling up the alter steps, Marian hid underneath the table to take one last inspection before she made her move for her prize. The soft tablecloth provided decent enough cover; opaque enough to keep her hidden but thin enough she could see potential shadows. Thank goodness all those years of playing hide and seek with her siblings had finally paid off.

It was now or never. Time to put all that practice to good use. In an instant, Marian shot up from under the table and took a single candleholder and took cover under the alter. She had to keep herself from squealing for joy at her easy victory. Just one more left. Holding her first prize in her left hand she crawled out from under the alter and reached for the solid gold wonder. That was until the sound of hastened footsteps sounded in her ears, making Marian stop dead. Her head swiveled to the left making eye contact with the Revered Mother herself.

Marian's mind went blank. Now of all times, she was letting fear get the better of her. It was just the Revered Mother; she wouldn't be able to keep up with her. She only had all of the town's templars at her beck and call, not to mention the other nuns. There was little point in running anyway. She had been caught red handed by the head of Lothering's chantry. Marian imagined what she would do if she were sentenced to the lone cage used for criminals. She wasn't so much worried about lack of food and water but the lack of a bathroom. That was truly a fate worse than death.

"You there! What do you think your doing!" shouted the Revered Mother, snapping Marian back to reality. She wasn't caught yet, and it was better that she stayed that way. Abandoning the second candleholder, Marian jumped on top of the alter and leapt down the stairs. Hoping the jump would give her the momentum to outrun the Revered Mother and whomever she would call for help. Not wanting to lead this mess back to her brother and sister, she tried to bolt for the main door. It was the only option left to her but there was a reason she hadn't entered the chantry that way. Just as she pushed open the door she ran straight into the armored arms of a templar soldier. The steel armor met Marian's head as the impact sent her to the floor. The splitting pain paled in comparison to the strange way her world transformed before her eyes. The entire roomed seemed to spin constantly and the people in it seemed to have taken up a strange gibberish language that she could make out. An old woman appeared above her, her face contorted with fury as she spoke to the armored giant. What was she so mad about? Marian glanced to her side looking at the candleholder; it seemed intact until she saw a sizable dent on the Chantry symbol. "Oh, right." she mumbled. Looks like it was time to think up was to stave off boredom, she was about to have a lot of time on her hands.

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"For Maker's sake Marian, how could you do something like this?" bellowed Leandra Hawke. She had hoped when she returned from work that she would be able to enjoy a quiet evening at home in front of the fire, maybe read a book. Not having to scold her eldest child for an act of juvenile delinquency and stupidity. "I thought you were better than this! What kind of example are you making for Carver and Bethany?" Marian sat on a single wooden stool in from of her mother, glancing over to her siblings, who winced when their names were mentioned. "Your lucky that I convinced the Reverend Mother to let you off with just two lashes. They could have done a lot worse if you hadn't hit your head like you did." Marian looked to her feet, poking her toes together. Leandra sighed, she knew that her daughter knew better than to steal from the chantry and put her family at risk. There was only one way to get the bottom of this. "Marian, deary, what were you trying to do? I just want you to tell me. I won't get mad at you." She gave her daughter a concerned smile, hoping that would reassure her to come clean. Past experience had proven that softening up would guilt Marian into spilling her guts, even just a little.

"You promise you won't get mad at me?" she whimpered

"I promise. Though I should mentioned that I've already decided my punishment for you." Marian winced and took a glance to her siblings. Both were shaking their heads and waving their arms. Marian sat contemplating for a moment but opened up anyway.

"Those candle sticks were solid gold, so I though if….I sold them on the market we could have enough money to get a nicer house or something." Leandra raised an eyebrow.

"You aren't happy with our house Marian?"

"No…it's not that. It's just…you work so hard to make sure that we have everything we need. But you're never here with us. If we had more money you would be home more often right?" Leandra couldn't tell if her daughter was being completely sincere or making a last ditch effort to reduce her sentence. If it was the latter, playing innocent wouldn't help her.

"Alright Marian. I understand, and I thank you for your concern. But you should know that doing silly things like stealing isn't going to help our family any. In the end, it will only bring more trouble. Your father and I ran from that kind of trouble to start a new life here. Do you want us to move out into the Wilds because of stealing a few candle sticks?'

Marian hung he head, "No"

"Then I would suggest, leaving money worries to me hmm? What I want you to do is to keep an eye on your brother and sister. You've done a fine job so far, keep it up till their old enough to take care of themselves, alright?" Leandra put her hand on her daughter's cheek. Marian seemed uncertain at first, but she smiled and nodded. "That's my girl. Now as for your punishment…"

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"Got to tell you sis, I would not want to be in your shoes right now." Carver chuckled as he chopped wood in the back of the house.

"Shut it Carver." Bethany snapped and she rubbed the soapy suds out of the laundry, "We would all be knee deep in…you know what, if sis hadn't taken all the blame. Why didn't you say anything?"

"And risk mum's wrath? No thanks. I choose life over death any day."

"Oh, don't be so overdramatic. Its not…that bad." She hesitated a bit, not sure if she would even be willing to switch jobs with her sister.

"Speak for yourself." Groaned Marian as she returned from the marsh with a dirty bucket in her hands. The smell emanating from her was almost toxic as both Carver and Bethany pinched their noses.

"Well.." Bethany said nervously, "All clean?" Marian gave her a look of complete disgust as she returned the bucket to the outhouse. Finding just a little bit of clean looking grass, she began to try and wipe her hands off on the ground.

"Look at it this way sis, you can use this as an excuse to get a bath." Carver smirked. Marian couldn't help but wonder how he could concentrate on copping wood while running his mouth.

"Knowing mum, she'll probably make me suffer with the smell." Marian sighed to her self as she took a sat down next to Bethany. "Besides, I feel like no amount of baths would ever make me clean again." Her brother and sister couldn't help but laugh. Marian smirked; at least she could still entertain them at least.

"Thanks for not ratting us out sis." Bethany smiled as she set aside the damp dress.

"Yeah…sorry we couldn't do anything to help you," Carver scratched his head, leaning on the axe.

"Ah, it wasn't so bad really. The look of the Revered Mother's face was pretty funny." Marian smirked as she looked up to the stars that were starting to appear.

"I'll bet." Carver snickered. Then his face turned serious. "Hey…you think…those Templars will ever find out about us? About Bethany?" The three children became very quiet. It was eventuality they hoped would never come, but those with magic in their blood never stayed hidden for long.

"I'm not sure." Marian admitted. "But whatever happens, we have to stay together. Mum's been having a hard enough time with father gone. We can't let her lose anything else."

"I remember father telling me about the Circle of Magi." Bethany seemed distant, like she was recalling an old nightmare. "He told me, that the Templar's are always watching the mages, looking at them like their less than human. He also said that the Mages are never allowed to leave the tower…and if you don't do well enough, the Templars will make you into a tranquil." Both Carver and Marian knew what that meant. Their father had told them all the horrors of the Circle tower that only an apostate would know about. Marian may not have been born with magical abilities but she knew that she never wanted her baby sister to be taken away to a prison. Carver probably felt the same. "I never even wanted these powers." Bethany whimpered, tears welling up in her eyes. "Is it my fault we have to live like this?"

"No no. Of course not Beth." Marian wanted to hug her sister but she wasn't sure how she would receive a smelly one.

"The only one to blame is that stupid chantry, and its stupid fear of magic." Carver growled. He gripped the axe a little tighter, looking like he was ready to take on the whole world with it.

"I'm sorry…I just…I just don't know if I'd be able to live in a place like that. I'd rather die." Bethany wiped her face; it would be hard to explain puffy, red eyes to their mother.

"Bethany, look at me." Marian said sternly, her light blue eyes seemed to have fire inside them, burning with determination. "I swear, if you got taken away to the Tower, I'd come and rescue you." Bethany's eyes widened, was that even possible? The mere idea for someone to go against the chantry was considered heresy; those who had fought against it had all been destroyed or worse. Yet, here was her sister, declaring she would fight them all in order to save her.

"You promise?" she sniffed

"I promise." Marian smiled confidently.

Bethany's eyes began to well up again.

"I'm with Mary, Beth." Carver said, walking over to the two girls. "If those bastards even tried to take you away, we would fight till our last breath. So don't worry about it anymore ok?" Bethany smiled at her brother and sister, and then wrapped her arms around them.

"Thank you." She whispered.

"Once those Templar's see what I can do, they'll never bother our family again." Carver bragged, flexing his arms for good measure.

"Oh so is that why you keep falling flat on your ars ever time we spare?" remarked Marian, giving him a coy smile. His face went beat red as he tried to think of a good come back.

"That's because you keep cheating! A real man never cheats, or hits a girl."

"That's a poor excuse for you to be slacking off mister, 'I've got to get my beauty sleep'." It wasn't often that Marian got the chance to chew out her brother, whatever chances she did get, she thoroughly enjoyed.

"That was…that was different! At least I wasn't the one who got caught by the Revered Mother!" His last comeback was weak, but Marian considered it a victory nonetheless.

"Well, we better get inside, smells like supper is almost ready." Marian stood up, completely oblivious to her twin brother and sister's mischievous eye contact. "I just hope she lets me wash up first."

"Oh don't worry sis," Bethany said in a sly voice.

"We'll help you out with that." Carver finished. Marian didn't have time to scream as cold, soapy water rushed over her head. Soaked from head to toe with dirty laundry water. The twins cackled, as was their fashion and ran for the house. Marian took a couple of moments to process what had just happened, then went about planning her revenge.

"I swear those two will be the end of me."


End file.
